Chapter 45: You Truly Are the Most Clingy Woman I Have Ever Met

Xu Yunzhu spoke with increasing confidence. As long as Wei Zhichen stopped pestering her, she would be fine.

But Wei Zhichen looked at her, an expression of speechlessness clouding his face.

Xu Yunzhu stood up, snatched his towel, and draped it over his shoulders. “Don’t expose yourself. If my wife sees, she’ll be angry with me.”

Just then, the variety show ended—the rest would be recorded tomorrow.

All the celebrities had received their task cards and returned to their rooms.

Wei Zhichen also stood, letting out a cold laugh. “Do you think I’ll believe you? Suddenly you have a wife to fob me off—are you so scared of sharing a room with me that I’ll discover your secret?”

Xu Yunzhu fell silent.

Well, there was no reasoning with this man.

He made her feel an ache in her very bones.

At that moment, the hotel room door was knocked.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Xu Yunzhu hurried to open it, muttering, “That must be Assistant Gao. Ugh, it’s so late and I’m so busy. I have to go out and discuss cooperation.”

All she wanted now was to put distance between herself and Wei Zhichen.

She opened the door.

Standing there was Pei Qiaonian, bundled up so tightly you could hardly see her face.

Startled, Xu Yunzhu quickly pulled her inside, a bit anxious. “What are you doing here? No one saw you, right?”

Only then did Pei Qiaonian remove her hat and mask, her expression chilly, her tone edged with displeasure. “No one saw. Am I so shameful I can’t be seen?”

Xu Yunzhu let out an awkward chuckle. “I was just trying to avoid suspicion for you…”

She lowered her voice. “Wei Zhichen is here.”

Pei Qiaonian finally realized, turning around to meet the gaze of her good friend.

Awkward and a little guilty, she looked away.

Then it struck her—why should she feel guilty at all? Even if she were a woman now, no one knew. What was there to fear?

She turned back, confidence restored, and shot Wei Zhichen a cool glance. Noticing he wasn’t wearing a shirt, she looked at Xu Yunzhu, her voice edged with accusation. “Why isn’t he dressed? What were you two doing?”

Xu Yunzhu said nothing.

Why ask her? He should ask Wei Zhichen why he insisted on showering in her room, or even trying to share her bed.

“He just took a shower, that’s all,” Xu Yunzhu replied.

Wei Zhichen glanced at Pei Qiaonian, then at Xu Yunzhu, his eyes narrowing. “Qiao, is this the wife you mentioned? You weren’t joking?”

“What wi—” Pei Qiaonian was puzzled, but before she could finish, Xu Yunzhu quickly covered her mouth.

With a raised voice, Xu Yunzhu said, “That’s right! I told you my wife gets jealous—can’t stand me being with anyone else. Even if it’s a friend, he’ll get upset. See? Because of you, I’ll have to coax him all night.”

Pei Qiaonian fell silent and stood perfectly still.

Only then did Xu Yunzhu let her go.

Wei Zhichen looked at Pei Qiaonian. This woman certainly had a bewitching face, but rationally, he couldn’t believe Pei Qiaonian would grovel for any woman, let alone stoop so low for one. It was simply out of character.

“So, you really are my Qiao’s wife—my… sister-in-law?”

Pei Qiaonian was speechless.

How was he supposed to respond to that? Was he supposed to acknowledge his relationship with Xu Yunzhu right in front of his friend?

Taking a deep breath, he replied slowly, “For now, yes. Once I dump her, she won’t be.”

Xu Yunzhu forced a sheepish smile, not daring to say a word.

Wei Zhichen was left speechless.

The world had turned upside down.

He wanted his old, arrogant Qiao back.

With a frown, he grabbed his clothes from the bed, dressed, and left immediately.

“No wonder you’re an actor—the performance is impressive. Well, the two of you can have a good night together.”

When the door finally closed, Xu Yunzhu chuckled awkwardly. “He doesn’t believe it.”

Pei Qiaonian gave a cold laugh. “No wonder you slipped up. I would never smile like that every day.”

Xu Yunzhu’s face fell. She couldn’t help rubbing her face. “People should live happily—smile when it’s time to smile. Why hold back? Is it just your nature not to smile?”

“Are you mocking me?”

Xu Yunzhu raised her hand. “I wouldn’t dare. I don’t even dare breathe in front of you.”

Pei Qiaonian kept up her cold laugh. “Yet you have the nerve to tell Wei Zhichen I’m your wife—you really have no regard for your own safety.”

Xu Yunzhu said nothing.

She tried to defend herself. “What else could I do? I’ve never slept with a man in my life. I could only use you as an excuse. You have no idea how terrifying he is when he interrogates me.”

Pei Qiaonian, unmoved, circled back to the previous topic. “That still doesn’t mean you should say I’m your wife.”

Xu Yunzhu was exhausted.

She surrendered. “Fine, I’m your wife. Satisfied? Maybe if you look at it from another angle, you’ll feel better.”

Pei Qiaonian stared at her.

Another angle, she thought. Why not a whole new track?

He glanced up at Xu Yunzhu as he heard her words.

Strangely, in this body, he found himself admiring his own handsomeness, which made him uncomfortable. Shaking off the odd feeling, he warned, “Don’t expect anything from me except the money I gave you.”

Xu Yunzhu nearly burst out laughing.

All she wanted was the money—nothing else.

Still, she feigned grievance. “So heartless.”

She sighed, gazing wistfully at the ceiling. “I really am a hopeless fool for you. Go on, leave me be. I need to sleep away my heartbreak.”

With that, she wrapped herself in the blanket, trembling with laughter.

If only she could switch back tomorrow, take the check, and walk away.

But from Pei Qiaonian’s perspective, it looked as if Xu Yunzhu was crying.

Because he had refused her so coldly, she was now huddled under the blanket, shaking with sorrow.

Did she really want his affection that much?

Pei Qiaonian irritably raked a hand through his hair, finally forcing out a sentence. “Xu Yunzhu, don’t be too greedy.”

“Huh? What did you say?” She hadn’t heard him clearly.

Her voice was muffled and hoarse, sounding pitiful.

Pei Qiaonian stood there for nearly a minute, conflicted, before making up his mind. “Fine. Even if we divorce, I’ll still allow you to stay by my side for a while.”

After speaking, a flush crept over his pale cheeks. He pressed a hand to his forehead, as if troubled. “That’s as much as I can compromise. Don’t push your luck. You really are the clingiest woman I’ve ever met.”

With that, he quickly donned his disguise and strode out of the room.

A few minutes later, Xu Yunzhu finally threw off the covers—she was almost suffocating.

She’d had one earbud in the whole time, so she hadn’t heard a word Pei Qiaonian said.

All she knew was that he’d muttered something at her blanket. Judging by his expression, it probably wasn’t anything nice. Thank goodness she’d plugged her ears in advance.

The next day.

Xu Yunzhu slept soundly, waking up with a yawn at nine in the morning.

Not long after, the hotel room door sounded. Assistant Gao had arrived. “President Pei, we need to head out—there’s a meeting with President Fu’s company on the land transfer.”